The Flexible Packaging Association (FPA) has announced the winners of the FPA 2017 Student Flexible Design Challenge. This year’s first place winners were a team of students from University of Wisconsin – Stout. Two schools tied for second place, one was a student from Iowa State University, and the other, another team of students from University of Wisconsin – Stout. There was also an Honorable Mention awarded in this year’s competition to a student from Iowa State University.

The FPA’s annual Achievement Awards competition recognizes innovative flexible packaging from across its membership. The industry also believes it is important to encourage and recognize students who are working to become the next generation of packaging designers. For the 2017 competition, FPA received 39 concept outlines from some of the top Packaging Design Programs across the United States. From the concept outlines submitted, 13 of them were selected to continue to the development phase.

FPA Student Winners

This year’s entries demonstrated a high level of creativity as well as a strong understanding of the mechanical properties of flexible packaging materials and the manufacturing processes involved. While every winning entry was designed for a different product, they each found an ingenious way to apply flexible packaging to satisfy the growing consumer demand for convenient, easy-to-use packaging.

The judges for this year’s competition included Eric Fish, Editor-in-Chief, Flexible Packaging Magazine; Dr. Robert Kimmel, Sc.D., Associate Professor, Director, Center for Flexible Packaging (CEFPACK), Clemson University; and Michael Richmond, Ph.D., Vice President, Consulting Solutions, Packaging, HAVI.

First Place Honors

• Wipes on Wheels

Benjamin Huber, Brian Kuhns, Cody Marquardt and Ashley Pratt, University of Wisconsin — Stout

Wipes on Wheels allows easy access to disinfectant wipes on the go. The wedge shape is made to fit in-between a car seat and the center console, conveniently in reach for everyone in the car. Its flexible design allows it to fit in a variety of different car models. The ever- growing desire to be clean, matched with the modern person’s need for efficiency, makes Wipes on Wheels an ideal product for the modern day busy person.

Second Place Honors (a tie)

• QuickFIX

Nathan Davis, Iowa State University

Ten to 90 lb. bags of grout or mortar are not conducive for small, around-the-house projects that occur in the life of a homeowner. QuickFIX solves this issue by packaging small units of grout or mortar material in an environmentally friendly, water-soluble material, and a bottom-gusseted secondary pouch; much like laundry soap. Additives can be separated and small amounts of product are easily mixed in a disposable cup for odd jobs and small repairs.

• Single-Serve Microwavable Hot Dog

Isaac Hines, Ryan Knudtson, and Sam Salewske, University of Wisconsin — Stout 

This new hot dog package will revolutionize packaging for hot dogs. Our packaging design is similar to string cheese packaging. It features a perforation between each of the hot dogs, and the material allows the product to be microwaved. Thus, you can eat one or as many hot dogs as you want! Also, each hot dog is very easy to open on its own. Just pull from the corner to get to the product. No more wasting food!

Honorable Mention

• Ice Dronettack

Zenia Adiwijaya, Iowa State University

Want a refreshing icy beverage delivered to wherever you are? Ice Dronettack it! Along with a stand-up reversed primary package, the Ice Dronettack mother pouch utilizes an aluminum composite laminated structure that provides thermal, spill, and environmental protection. The ability to separate the mother pouch from the primary package allows the consumer to retrieve the single use ice drink, which provides a sustainable and reusable drone-delivery option that is both cost effective for the brand-owner and better for the environment.